


Lancaster Week 2

by Lady_Fairy_Moth



Category: RWBY
Genre: Best Friends, F/M, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Forehead Kisses, Friends to Lovers, Grief/Mourning, Jealousy, Kissing, Lancaster Week, Lancaster ship week, Lancaster shipping, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Song Lyrics, Survivor Guilt, Teen Angst, Teen Romance, cute moments
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:54:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26387506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Fairy_Moth/pseuds/Lady_Fairy_Moth
Summary: Day 1 Jealousy: Really what could Jaune be jealous about?!Day 2 Hobbies: Two dorks enjoying their times with the things they love.Day 3 Eavesdropping: Sometimes you find out the truth when you weren't supposed to.Day 4 Reassurance: Sometimes you need someone to bring you back from the dark.Day 5 Stargazing: Nothing like a walk under the stars.Day 6 Flirting: Jaune is oblivious and ruby is adorably subtle.Day 7 Prom: To go or not to go? The eternal question asked by the sugar fiend in lady stilts.
Relationships: Jaune Arc/Ruby Rose
Comments: 1
Kudos: 21
Collections: Lancaster Week





	1. Jealousy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author note I own nothing rooster owns RWBY. I don’t have the luxury; otherwise, I would have restarted the story from scratch by now, but that’s just me. As always, show your support for Lancaster week.

Yang had to know! It was like something out of someone’s worse nightmare or maybe the star of one of mine, but the only thing is I keep pinching myself, and I still keep seeing the mob scene in front of my eyes. I wiped my eyes twice, and I still saw it. Ruby Rose was being crowded by male admirers. And Yang wasn’t breaking it up. Blake wasn’t even concerned, and Weiss seemed to be in the same boat as the other two reading a book on the lawn on a picnic blanket instead of helping their teammate. Ruby looked uncomfortable with the amount of attention and the flirtation. I knew I had to act or allow this to continue. Walking up to her sister, who was lying out reading some celebrity magazine, I notice that there were some famous huntsmen on the front, but that didn’t mean much to me. What’s happening right now is all that mattered.

“Yang, aren’t you going to do something?” I said I know I sounded panicked and annoyed, but come on, she’s the older sister she has to care.

“Do something?” Raising her sunglasses, looking at me like I told her something inane and stupid like the Sun is bright, or the sky is blue!

“Yes, do something about the mob scene of our male classmates hounding and flirting with Ruby?”

“I don’t see a problem; Ruby is a cute girl. I'm not interfering with her opportunity after that last mission for extra credit. Ruby was all over the news; let her have some fun?” Yang said with a lofty air, very relaxed, and almost uncaring.

“Yang, which doesn’t sound like you,” Jaune said, surprised that Yang of all people is not up in arms about all these guys crowding her

“And you’re not one to care this much, what are you jealous or something?” Yang said with a very lofty air to her seeming almost to goat him into admitting what he felt or didn’t feel at that moment.

“I am not! I’m concerned! She seemed overwhelmed and distressed.” Jaune said with his voice sounding rather hurried and anxious. He just wanted her team to notice and pay attention to the fact that their leader is in distress right now.

“To me, she was laughing at the one guy’s joke and seems to be blushing from the flirtation,” Blake said as she read her book, not even looking up at Ruby.

“Yeah, Arc, she is even playing with hair,” Yang said with a somewhat lack of care as she seems to inspect one of the articles in her magazine.

“And fluttering her eyelashes,” Weiss said with her usual snarky eye roll flipping her book to the next page.

“Seems to me, she likes the attention, and you are jealous and wish it was you in those guys' place,” Yang said with a slight tone to her like she was mocking my concern.

“Fine, you don’t want to help? I’ll save her myself!” I said, frustrated that nobody on her team seems to care about her.

Walking over my annoyance at its peak, I had enough nonsense and accusation my team, for the most part, were watching and muttering their confusion. Her team didn’t care; her sister wasn’t actively stopping it; I had to act.

I pushed through the crowd surrounding Ruby. It almost felt like I was at a concert, and everyone was waiting for the singer to start. And with every guy I pushed, it seems like Two dozen put themselves in front. Half the guys crowding her were built like brick houses, most of them meatheads for the most part. Some of them were wiry and slim, but it didn’t matter. All that matter was getting Ruby out of the pandemonium and chaos for her sanity.

“Alright, disperse! Book it! Move! Leave! If you don’t, I’ll beat your asses myself. Can’t you tell the lady is uninterested?” I said with a confidence that I have never felt before, and I’m almost feeling righteous anger. I could see that they were making her feel so tiny and small. Considering how much of a powerhouse Ruby is, it actually infuriating to see her like this.

“Arc who died and made you the King of Vale! If this beautiful flower were uninterested, she would have said so.” There was leering from the one who said it. I didn’t know his name, but it was purple haired hair styled up in a bit of a faux hawk if that’s the right term for it? Big muscle head with biceps more massive than my own head.

All the lunkheads agreeing with him in principle. Some of the less toned guys left quickly, not wanting to fight for a girl. Most of them wouldn’t pick a fight with me knowing I was wily when I wanted to be. The meatheads were harder to convince; they thought they were in the right, and they were too stubborn to notice how she felt.

Ruby looked like a spooked rabbit who latched on to me like I was a lifeboat in the middle ocean.

“Get me out of here, Jaune!” Ruby whispered to me hurriedly, but it was audible enough that other guys heard that were close enough; some of them seemed to realize their error. They appeared to be backing off slightly, but the ringleader still had a cocky smile on his face. You could tell he didn’t hear Ruby; he was daring me to draw my weapon, but I kept it away, knowing it wasn’t worth it, not right now.

“As you can see, Ruby and I have better places to be and studying to do! Like everyone here has since midterms are next week.” That got their attention, and they took off like I told them was Ursas with bounty and for extra credit was posted behind them. Morons, every one of them, these idiots should have started studying weeks ago.

“You okay, there?”

“I am now.” Ruby looked up at him, the biggest relieved smile on her face.

* * *

“How much you want to bet vomit boy just realized his crush?” Yang said in a sing-songy way.

“That’s a suckers’ bet!” Weiss said without looking up from her book.

“Well, look at miss prim and proper using that kind of language!” Yang said with a chuckle in her voice and exaggerated posh accent, which made Weiss slightly pink.

“The way he came to you to fight for your sister? His crush is clear from the fifth day of classes. Don’t know what he was thinking about putting the moves on Weiss.” Blake said, flipping to the next page of her book.

“Hey!” Weiss said, affronted, but neither Yang nor Blake thought it made any sense for her to be offended.

“You’re a pretty girl, but you have nothing in common and don’t talk to each other.” Yang pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m going to assume my intimidation. And friendship is why he was interested,” Weiss said with an almost exaggerated sniff.

“And I am the savior of Mistral,” Blake said with an eye roll and lay flat on the blanket as she made her quip.

“Oh, what are you going to do about miss Nikos, Yang? She’s not going to like this?” Weiss said as she flipped the page to her book.

“Well, you snooze, you lose not like she claimed dibs or made a move. That’s her fault. Even then, can you see Jaune and her together?”

“If you think snow princess and the string bean have nothing in common? I’ve never seen Pyrrha relax or do something outside training and working out?” Yang said with this air of wisdom, people could hear from time to time.

“Even Ruby can sit down and play a video game, and she’s a weapons nut. She has outside interests and something more to her.” Blake said, adding on to what Yang meant. Seeing the problems clear from the outside in.

“Pyrrha just doesn’t seem to be able to be normal or try to relate to anyone. I doubt Jaune sees her as anything as his partner either. So, in the end, those two belong together. If she decides to fight over him? Well? I could knock her lights out.” Yang said with a broad but fierce smile on her face. Flipping to photo spread in her magazine.

“Yang!” Both Weiss and Blake yelled, kind of shocked at how cavalier and ready she seemed to take on the invincible girl. Like she was asking about going to dinner, not taking on in a fight a girl who has never been beaten in an official fight.

“What? Champion or not, she hurts Ruby; all bets are off.” Yang said, flashing her eyes, the threat was genuine.

Probably won't come down to that. As Blake watched those walk away, Ruby was clinging to Jaune, a relieved expression and slight blush on Ruby’s face and all her thoughts saying one thing. _My Hero._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final note: I let the music help me type this out. The song I used was Save Me by Jem. Yeah, I’m old, what of it? That’s more of a mental save. Remember to show your support, Lancaster week. It’s important and something the fandom needs right about now.


	2. Hobbies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note I own nothing. I am not wasting time. Let’s get on with the story!

It had been one of those days; everyone just seemed to be off with something to do, and I was the odd one out with nothing really planned. This leads me to being here roaming the grounds no focus, but looking for something there wasn’t a test for two weeks, and I? Due to Weiss’s nagging, I had all my homework done early; I would even take homework to pass the boredom. That’s when I heard strumming and muttering. Following it, I realized as I walked closer, I knew exactly who it was, and I could barely contain my giggles. Jaune’s writing a love song!

“Hey there, Jaune, what are you doing?” She could barely contain her giggles, but she was trying to be composed as she felt she should be.

“Oh, hey there, Ruby, I didn’t see you there! Just working on a new song that’s one supposed to be really different but just can’t really make it work considering the song isn’t for me.”

“Okay, now you caught my interest; who is the song for?”

“If you can believe it, I got commissioned! If you could believe it? Nora asked me to make a song for her; she wants to woo certain young gentlemen asking him to the dance, but she gave me a baseline of what the song needs.”

If Ruby was shocked, it must be clear on his face, but considering everything they collectively knew about those two, it makes sense.

“Well, you should sing the song that’s occupying your mind; maybe if you write it out, it will be easier to make the song for Nora.”

“Alright, that might be worth the shot, but I’m not sure if I can play the song in front of you,” Jaune said, ruffling his own hair; he was nervous, but Ruby couldn’t understand he wasn’t really the shy type.

“It’s no big deal you’ve already played a song before! you don’t have to be shy with me. Were besties, right? You have to be honest and be able to take the opinions and criticism of others, and you know I won't laugh at it, I promise!” Ruby knew before she finished talking, she wouldn’t laugh at something like this.

“Oh, okay, just don’t freak out, okay?”

_~It’s been on my mind_

_Speeding around like_

_A hummingbird in flight_

_Shimmering and sweet_

_I can’t help but think~_

“That’s all I got so far; I know exactly who the song is for, but I can really get the rest of the words out, you know?” His face was sunburnt red, and his voice and went high pitched at the end.

But something about Jaune's face like he isn’t saying something, maybe the …

And like a strike of lightning, I figured out what the song is about. She felt a blush rising on her own face hotter than the Sun.

“I like what you got so far. I bet the girl you wrote for will love it and would love to hear you finish it!” She said it in a rush she felt as shy and as awkward as Jaune but taking a breath. _Calm down! He’s still the same loveable dork you’ve been friends with since you met. My mind was racing, and I knew that I wanted to spend more time with him regardless_

“How about you come with me? I got a new game for my console if you want to play with me? Maybe if you relax your mind, the song for Nora will come to you?”

“Okay, sure, thanks, Ruby,” playing with the hair in the back in his head. The blush hadn’t lessened the words and mutual attraction in the air and left unsaid as they walked to Ruby’s dorm room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final note: I know this was short, even for me, but I just had an idea, and it was cute and sweet couldn’t help it! Alright, you guys already know what to do. Leave some kudos, leave a user subscription for more if you like what I've written.


	3. Eavesdropping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author notes: I own nothing but the plot. Also, I hope you like this story.

“Ruby, you can’t keep pretending like you don’t have feelings for Jaune!”

Nora's voice, while whispered, had this way of carrying and being heard when you shouldn’t listen to it.

He didn’t mean too, but here he was listening to this conversation. He woke up from the weirdest dream, and he went for a walk, and he didn’t mean to overhear the conversation, but he was the one who needs to get back to the tents now. And heard his name pop up he couldn’t help it. He was only human. Curiosity was a part of being human.

That’s how he found himself hiding behind a large bush while Nora and Ruby were talking. Knowing that if either of them discovered him? He was dead. He was going to be buried right here in the Anima wilderness, not like anyone would discover him.

“You're one to talk, Nora! I’m not blind. I know how you feel about Ren.” Ruby sounded serious and somewhat annoyed, and I felt that shiver knowing he really shouldn’t be listening to this.

“We’re not talking about me and my feelings!” A giant deep blush rising on Nora’s face, he could almost see the glow from where he hid.

“We are talking about you! I keep watching you mooning about Jaune. Or the little sighs when we’re hunting and gathering food. You can’t act like there’s nothing there! I’m not blind or dumb, Ruby.”

“But we both know Pyrrha liked him, isn’t it wrong to take a shot? Doesn’t it seem disrespectful?”

“I don’t want to speak ill of the dead. But that’s the point she’s been gone long enough that how she felt or feels about Jaune shouldn’t be a factor. Or something that would need to hold you back.” Nora had this sigh of exhaustion like this something she thought about but could finally say.

“She wasn’t Jaune's wife, fiancé, or girlfriend! She was his partner. While I wanted Pyrrha to tell Jaune? It’s so she would move on from her crush. So, she can get rejected and start moving on to someone who would like her back.”

Jaune, who was listening, was awestruck, not knowing any of this when he was in Beacon wondering how oblivious was, he. Or that Nora's personal insight on the dynamic between us before she died.

“Nora, she was your friend; you spent time with her in the dorms; you can’t know Jaune did like her back or that he likes me that way.”

“Oh, trust me, I not only very sure, but I have no doubt that I'm right.”

“Living in the dorms was like living with a mountain lion and a pet dog. The dog is oblivious to the giant animal hungry for him. They have no shared interests or seem compatible, but the mountain lion just doesn’t care; she’s hungry and wants to eat the dog alive.” Nora has a nearly humorless laugh. The analogy was clear, and I was insulted that I was compared to the dog. The fact she saw Pyrrha as a dangerous predator guided by instincts over everything else. well, she did have

“The reality is I liked Pyrrha, but did I know her? No. I know my day-old shoes better then I knew her. As a team, we just didn’t bond like teams and teammates are supposed to. Ren and I took care of each other. We are friends, besties have been for an awfully long time, my feelings for Ren aside, we work together as a smooth machine. We got along with Jaune and talked to him and got to really know him. Honestly, he was and is in our personal trust, and I consider him a good friend. I know Jaune well. Then you have the opposite teammate. It’s like living with an extremely polite stranger. Pyrrha would train to get moony over Jaune and sleep. Any time I tried to train with her or try to spend time with her, she would ignore me and not really care. I remember her complaining to Jaune that she wanted to be treated like she was a regular person; she is the next huntress of the legend that makes sense. I swear that was the biggest crock I ever heard when she doesn’t try to engage anyone or talk to anyone outside Jaune. Ruby level with me here. How many times did you even speak to Pyrrha? I can count how many times I did with her on the one hand.”

“Honestly, maybe three times to be sure,” Ruby said with a shocking gasp, and I was mentally shocked. Nora was not only making a point, but she was also making valid ones. Pyrrha was antisocial; she would talk to me but just scarcely when there was an assignment when she was training me but just barely.

“I didn’t take it personally. She didn’t want to connect? Fine with me. Yang would train with me, and you did, and even Weiss and Blake would when they felt like it.” Nora said with a happy go, lucky smile. Then the smile fell minutely even from Jaune's position; he could see it.

“When someone you weren’t friends with passes on? You can’t grieve for them. You can’t get sad or pay respect to someone you don’t know.” She said with a sigh looking off to the moon.

“I lived with her for the school year and barely spoke three words to her. So, what duty do you owe to her, out of respect?” She said from here, I could tell it was not only a rhetorical question, but something for Ruby thinks about, and honestly, I was thinking the same thing. I was invested in this conversation, but I knew even the slightest hint of noise would gain their attention.

“So, I say this because I want to see you both happy! gather that positive energy and tell him. From what I can tell, he seems to like you. Pyrrha may have liked Jaune, but she never made a move that I know of. She just kept staring, hoping he would notice. But Jaune? If he likes you, he’s obvious, and he can’t hide his feelings. He never looked at Pyrrha. Even if he never said out loud, it was clear. They were incompatible.” She said with this finality certainty in what she was saying and more serious-minded than I would assume of her.

“Now, let's get back to our tent. It’s late; we only got a few hours until we have to get back to walking. Just think about what I said, OK? We all need a little bit of happiness in this world, don’t we?”

“Yeah, I got a lot think about while sleep tonight; thanks for talking to me, Nora.”

“No problem! Someone has to give you advice and take on the big sister role while Yang gets better, and I hope you’re OK with that?”

“Nah, it’s nice, thanks for that, Nora; it helps me.” As they quietly zipped up their tent and turned off their lamp while I waited till I heard Ruby’s snuffling sleep noises and Nora's huffing sleep noises.

 _If I wasn’t already shocked by what I heard, I probably would’ve dropped from shock. Nora's insight was that of someone more worldly than I expected. She dissected Pyrrha to the bare basics of who she was. Nora got to brass tacks and showed her clearly to all who heard her, and Nora wasn’t wrong. She was missing details but otherwise spot Pyrrha did make a move, and it was right before she died where I couldn’t really kiss her back, didn’t want to either, but I seem rude not to. I think about how I felt about Pyrrha. And I thought along with the same line of feelings as Nora when I get right down to it. I didn’t know anything about her. When it came to her, home life was a mystery to all of us, and she wouldn’t talk about it. She didn’t have much of a personal life. She didn’t have any hobbies outside of working out and practicing her stances._ _She taught me sure, but she was a relative stranger. I felt and still do feel the guilt of her death. I should’ve done what I was told to do, but I couldn’t, but I stopped grieving when I started this pilgrimage with Ruby. My focus was on getting her to Haven academy and getting her there safely._

_I didn’t want to admit to myself not back at Beacon, not while we have been out here traveling on foot. The words that have been on my lips for months for nearly a year now, and it’s making my heart race, my knees shaking like when I realized how I felt. It made it hard to be around her without blurting how I felt._

I should have known the minute we just clicked like two puzzle pieces but ignored it. Whenever Ruby asked something of me, I dropped everything to help her; that’s what friends do for each other right. Who was I kidding nobody myself and badly?

_I was going back to my village to tell my family that I was back for now and very much alive and that I would apply to Shade academy to continue huntsman training. But when Ruby came to me, ask me to go with her anima to haven. I dropped the plan without question. I didn’t even think about it. I knew in the pit of my heart. I knew why._

_When I look into her eyes and felt my heart raced, and when I was alone, and thoughts of her made me blush. I remember when I told myself to drop it. When Yang broke, one of Beacon’s test dummies in front of me and the intention and message as clear as day. But things are different, and one day soon, I'll tell her, but whether Nora is right or not, whether Ruby does or doesn’t tell me herself, I won’t be afraid to take a chance. Regardless of the dusting myself off the dirt from my hiding place making sure those two were fast asleep, I crept into the tent I shared with Ren to notice he was awake as I was, and the message was clear we both overheard everything and how are we supposed to act like we don’t. This was going to be an awkward walk tomorrow._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final note: if you want to know the kind of energy Nora has when is she saying she says she doesn’t want to speak ill of the dead? It’s the Yzma when she thinks Kuzco is dead, and she takes over immediately, saying he isn’t getting any deader. That’s the vibe going off in my head. Like she’s already over Pyrrha’s death and probably been over it for months now. I would think death in their world would be treated with more nonchalance. Considering negative emotions bring Grimm. She’s already moved and wondering about what’s going to happen after they do this at Haven. What’s next? That’s Nora mentally; she’s not as scarred mentally; she’s seen enough. She’s over it.


	4. Reassurance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note I own nothing but the plot.

Today was the day had been all over the news and all over the papers; we talked about it at length, but she knew that some took it more demanding than others. Looking to her right, she knew she needed to be a rock for everyone else today. Today was the anniversary of the fall of Beacon, and everyone was trying their best not to think about it since coming to Atlas. It’s been a year since then. Jaune was right back to how he was when we started the walkthrough Anima. His eyes looked dead, his eyes. Yang was the same as when she left for have quiet and solemn contemplative., but Weiss was comforting Yang, patting her back, talking to her, which seemed to be helping, and Ren and Nora are off. Blake was out, but that was expected. She still felt guilty about what happened to Yang, and there wasn’t anyone to argue that’s it not because Blake can be stubborn about placing blame on herself. It wouldn’t even shock me if she just ran off and took a plane or a boat out of Atlas. She never expects her to stay around long whenever she’s whenever things get tough? Blake takes off. When she admitted to being a part of The White Fang. When during the fall of Beacon. She took off not telling anyone, and Sun revealed one thing before taking off for Vacuo. When things get tough, Blake leaves. Either you follow or get left in her wake. But out of everyone, she was worried about Jaune. He had no one to talk to and no one to comfort him. She walked to the dorms we had been staying in. She never went to Jaune’s room, but he told me where to go if she ever needed to go see him. Knocking softly

“It’s open.” Jaune’s listless voice said.

I walk in the dorm room is nearly spotless except the rumple lump on the bed. Covered in blankets, and she heard a slight sniffle. If she didn’t know any better, I would assume the Atlas weather was making him sick.

“Jaune, it’s me.” He came out of the nest of blankets; his eyes were red and sore from crying. She felt a pit sink into my heart, seeing him seeing him look this bad. So weak and tired and broken, the toll of what she knew was bothering him.

“Oh, Ruby, I’m sorry I’m not feeling up to having visitors right now.”

“You need to talk to someone you can’t bottle it up and hope to get over it!”

“I’m a failure; I don’t deserve to be treated like I didn’t do anything wrong,” Jaune said with the coldness of Solitas icy wind on my skin.

“You’re not a failure.” In her mind, in her heart? She meant every word she said he wasn’t a failure. after everything they had gone through, he wasn’t a failure, not by a long shot.

“You didn’t get a teammate killed; you didn’t follow simple instructions that could have saved her life?!” Jaune nearly yelled hysterically, the tears falling unconsciously. I wanted to hold him, but I know he wouldn’t let me not yet.

“How are you so sure that would work? No matter what, Pyrrha was going to fight Cinder alone. You were supposed to call for back up, but there’s no guarantee they would have made it in time. You did what you could in the middle of a high-pressure situation!” Ruby, for her part, knew she was right; they had talked about it logistically everything that happened.

“It’s still no excuse for this after everything we’ve learned? It’s clear if Qrow and Ironwood didn’t tell us? They were transferring the maiden powers to Pyrrha. Which Cinder took the rest of. I should’ve fought harder; I should’ve saved her!” Jaune reeled back. His face is red with anger.

“I saw her die, Jaune. I watched when Pyrrha was killed in front of my eyes. Never forget I had to witness her death that I was too late to save her! you aren’t the one at fault that day!” Ruby spat back Jaune, throwing himself a pity party wouldn’t help him feel better. Worse, she knows she's as much to blame for what happened that day.

“Jaune, you can’t blame yourself. The facts are Pyrrha was in over her head with someone who wanted to see her die. Cinder killed Ozpin before she went to fight Pyrrha! If someone who’s lived thousands of lives couldn’t kill her? What shot did Qrow and professor Goodwitch have?! We’d have three dead people to deal with instead of one. One who did the best she could and wouldn’t want to see you moping?”

“You’d mope in my position too. I’m their leader; they depend on me also to make the right decisions and be able to keep them safe and alive. I am a horrible leader; they shouldn’t follow me and…”

“Jaune? You can’t keep beating yourself up over things that happened in the past; you have to let it go and move on. You’re a great leader; you’re upset right now? I question my leadership quality and methods all the time. Yang lost her arm! Weiss got dragged back home because of what happened and got abused. Blake ran away without anyone able to go get her. If it wasn’t for Sun, I don’t think Blake would have come back at all. So, if you’re a sucky leader, so am I.”

“Stop it, you’re a great leader.”

“So are you, Jaune; you just need to believe in yourself again.”

“You’re asking for a tall order Ruby.” Jaune had a watery smile.

“Well, thankfully, I'm short enough that tall orders are the best kind of challenge for me,” I say, matching his smile, my heart still felt as sore as his. Taking his hand in mine, giving him a hug hoping he could move forward today.

“Come on; you’re a professional huntsman; we grieve, and we move forward to the next mission. And I saw something on the board that would keep our mind off what today is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final note: I felt this was something that would humanize the group after last season. I thought last season the whole thing was a shit show. And decided they should come in volume eight? Kill everyone, leave no one alive just up and genocide our heroes, and restart the story from scratch since this is a mess. What’s power scaling? Balancing the two primary teams, what? I got so angry when Jaune, Nora, and Ren got wrecked by Neo. But the meat puppet can one punch her to the floor fuck you, CRWBY. And team RWBY, with one month in Atlas trained by the top operatives for as long, is now better them fuck out of here CRWBY. Don’t get me started on volume seven! How it is as bad as five in a sense, it makes me wish all the character die because of stupid writing choices. Like they doomed Atlas and Mantle to meet the same fate as Vale and Beacon, you can’t cry and say that’s not what happened. That’s precisely what happened. Ironwood wanted to save everyone that had already evacuated to Atlas and abandon Mantle; that’s fucked up, but at least some of the Mantle citizens would survive. This is a solid plan. Team RWBY just made sure nobody will survive.


	5. Stargazing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author note I own nothing but my plot.

“You know Atlas sucks, but they somehow have clear skies,” Ruby said softly to his ears.

They had barely seen each other since coming to Atlas between training and working; Jaune and Ruby were dead on our feet most nights and days.

“Yeah, if it was for the patronizing people, the tense air of discrimination, and the hostility of the upper crust who lived in Atlas? people might actually come here for the view of the stars alone.” I doubt you can get a view like this in Mantle fairly sure the smog and Atlas cast a shadow on it, so they can't see the skyline.

“You know,” Ruby started to smile; they had both signed for guard duty patrolling the Atlas campus at night. Jaune and her the only one who wanted to do this kind of light guard work. “This is the first time I've been able to really talk to you since the fight in Argus.”

“It can have been that long!” Jaune said, but he was having that looking dawn of realization of how much time they have been here.

“Yeah, it has. The minute we got to Atlas; we’ve been swamped. We don’t get to spend any time together or even see each other I miss it.”

“Yeah, OK, I just realized your right; the last time we were around each other was that time in that cave with the ace ops that was nearly a month ago. Jeez, I’m sorry.” Jaune was looking down, realizing that other than work, he was too tired to spend time with anyone these days; the worries had taken priority over everything else.

“Are you kidding?! I’m sorry! Between everything, that been going on? We never seemed to be able to hang out anymore. I get that we are professional huntsmen and huntress licensed and everything, but we are acting like we are strangers.” She said, taking his hand in hers.

“Yeah, I missed you too, crater face,” he said, giving her a cheeky smile.

“Hey, I thought we stopped with the nicknames.” She scrunched her face in a way that Jaune thought was adorable.

“Nah, not when you make that face, I can't help it.”

“Oh yeah, vomit boy?”

Jaune made a face feeling himself smirking at her retort; he usually would be mad but just couldn’t with her.

“You want to go?” Jaune said playfully; his eyes sparkled under the shine of the stars and the moon.

“Gladly string bean,” as Ruby seemed to be walking him into a corner one of the exteriors of Atlas walls.

“Who you calling a string bean? Short stuff.”

“You, what are you going to do about it?” Pinning Jaune between her arms, she was smirking red face but a giant smile on her face.

Jaune takes a leap, one he’s wanted to do for a long time. Placing an arm around her waist, one around her neck, gently leaning close, Ruby’s eyes fluttered down to his lips and back to his eyes. All that was around them was the shadows of midnight, nothing but their breathing could be heard.

This, with that, he leaned in all the way and kissed her lips, hoping. Only to feel her kiss him back. His eyes were seeing a shooting a star, glad his deepest wish came true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final note: You know what to! Do leave a comment, some kudos, a follow to me, etc. Oh, if you like any of the other fandoms I write for? Check out the fics; maybe you’ll like what I got. As an example, how out of the leftfield I can be, I have two ongoing fics in incredibly tiny fandoms. One is wacky daily Hijinx; the other is the darkest story I have ever written.


	6. Flirting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: I own nothing but my plot.

How did I end up here? How did I get so lucky? But with everything, I need to start at the beginning of the story, not at the happy ending, right? That’s how the best stories are told from the very beginning.

It had started innocuous but innocent. I didn’t think anything of it at the time; I didn’t think of as flirting. Ruby and I were sitting together in class; it was the weapon maintenance and upgrading class; it was a lecture day. We weren’t doing any practical work until Professor Glassell felt everyone was well versed with the basics of maintenance and making it clear that if you mess, a weapon can will blow up in your face.

And Ruby was into the lecture for once. I was slight spacing; I was taking the notes, But I wasn’t absorbing the material of the lecture at that moment. It just didn’t make sense to me the dust and the wiring was confusing. Ruby looked at my face, lean her head on his shoulder, smiled at me, and said it’s OK to be confused that I’ll help you. And squeeze his shoulder. I could help but smile as we started studying together, and Ruby seemed to want to sit closer together, knees touching. As the days moved forward, she seemed to get touchier and feel knee squeezes. I was getting better grades in all my classes because of her encouragement and her positivity. I felt like with every hug, every touch, every smile when she saw me improving made me happier and gladder that I chose to be here. Glad that I met her and that she got me to dedicate myself to get as strong as her.

The more we spent time together, the better things to seem the jokes the winking. It all felt right to me and would smile about it when the day was done and over with. Honestly, I liked hanging around Ruby; she was the first friend I made and Beacon and the person I feel the most comfortable with. So, becoming touchier feely felt natural nothing was wrong, and it was perfect. I couldn’t ask for anything better. Then Ruby in a move that shocked me out of socks after seeing how I did? She kissed my cheek. Which made her run like Zwei was on fire? And I turned red and was shocked and followed her.

And she was hectic, and she was panicking when I found her.

“I’m so sorry. I kissed your cheek, and that was so forward to me. I don’t know what came over me! I’m so sorry!”

“Ruby, Ruby! It’s OK! I liked that you kissed me; it's fine; you were excited about me getting better grades.”

“No, it’s not OK, not at all. I like you, and I doubt you like me like that.” She gasped looked me in the eyes like she blurted out without thinking. Her face was shocked like she was going to run. I grabbed her before she ran again.

I was shocked; we were standing in a back courtyard abandoned as people were partying in the front gardens. We were alone, and no one could or would be overhearing us. Considering the fact that what I had to say? What I’m feeling would get me murdered by Yang Xiao Long was capable of hearing me say it.

“Ruby, how I feel about you? I really really like you.” He looked away; he was nervous, blushing, and felt like an awkward dork. This quirky, amazing girl confessed how she felt unblinking into my eyes, and when I admit that I feel the same, I can’t do the same thing.

“I have for a long while, but I didn’t think you were interested in anyone that way. So, I”

I never even finished the sentence. I found myself tackled by Ruby against the wall; the eye faces a hair breath away. I never even finished the sentence. I found myself tackled by Ruby against the wall. She faces a hair breath away. I was stunned; the heart was beating so fast I thought it would break out of my chest.

“You mean it? Her eyes were the light, and my heart raced; I answered her without a doubt

“Every word.”

Which found me being kissed by Ruby Rose. I felt so lightheaded like I would just float away. Without hesitancy, every single thought in my head, I kissed her back. Everything in the world felt perfect; at least Yang found us, and I’m running for my life, but it was worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final note welp I thought it was cute IDK if it’s funny, but I know it was cute to me.


	7. Prom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note. Well, I own nothing but the plot. This was a fortunate prompt, especially with what's happening in the world right now. This is in an au that the fall of Beacon just doesn't succeed Cinder and crew are arrested in volume two when their transcripts in Haven don't hold up, and Leo is taken in for questioning gives them up.

The Vytal festival ended, and there were one thing everyone's minds at the end of the school year, and that was prom. Well, in reality, it was a farewell ball to all the participating schools, and it was going to be televised internationally. They wanted to show that inter-kingdom cooperation and friendships were happening and blossoming. No better than have a large party where everyone is dressed their best and having fun, and there was no hard feeling between the winners and losers of the tournament.

You have so many students thinking of who they wanted to take. So many who considered going stag to the party of the year. A few who were too afraid and thought they shouldn't even be there. Right now, Jaune Arc was contemplating who he would ask. Weiss was off the table; she wanted to go with Neptune, who agreed after a conversation with Sun on learning how to dance. As well as he lost his crush on her as quickly as it came. Shaking his head, not knowing what he was thinking, focusing his attention on her, to begin with.

Thankfully Pyrrha was going with Flint. They apparently hit it off when she as about all his weapon blue note and all its capabilities, and they just clicked from there. He thought he might have to ask her himself as friends since the opening dance for the Vytal Festival, he was effectively her date because no one asked her to go with her. And there was me trying to build up the courage to ask the girl that he's secretly liked for a long time, but knowing that she might not be receptive or realize he was flirting with her at all; like himself, she was oblivious. But she was sweet and kind, and it was hard not to fall for her. Especially when you've got to know her.

So, here he was pacing in his dorm room, wondering how he was going to ask Ruby Rose to the prom with me. As Ren watched him walk back and forth. Nora was off shopping for a dress. And so was most of the other girls leaving just Ren and him but feeling as reminiscent about two months ago when the opening ball was held. Ren was trying his hardest to meditate to relieve the nervous energy within him.

"Ok, the pacing needs to stop." Ren, who was dressed more than casually but comfortably, then everyone had ever seen him considering we now got final exams were two weeks away. The prom was at the end of the week.

"Look, Ren, this is a big deal. I got the girl in mind who I want to ask. I don't want this end up like the first time. I went stag and ended up in a dress. I just want to spend a nice time with someone I genuinely like and want to spend a night having fun with someone I want to spend time with."

"Well, maybe I can help so I can get back to peacefully meditating. Your pacing is distracting my concentration." He said, exasperation and annoyance clear in his voice.

"Fine, but don't breathe a word of this outside of this room. I don't want to lose my nerve or panic halfway through." Jaune looked harried slightly like he wanted to be anywhere but here. He was panicking and not really think about who he was talking to his mind, not really rational didn't want to get out or being spread. He had this look like a bunny that would run at the first sign of trouble but knowing Jaune, and it's probably not unwarranted.

"Like I'm a gossip," Ren said with a raised eyebrow. He was a guy of few words. He didn't even know why he was worried even Nora wouldn't find out what happens right here and now. Ren was good a friend and usually kept to himself and doesn't talk unless he needs too.

"Look after this year and everything, and I had an epiphany. Especially when I think about everything I've been through and my friendship. It was a giant slap to the face to realize that I have a crush on my friend, the first friend I made here. So, asking her is a big deal for me. I don't want to screw this up or have her think I'm asking as just friends." Jaune said it with this tone like he was getting a cold shower, and he was waking up. Or like he ran a marathon, he was huffing and puffing, slight sweat forming on his forehead.

"Based on your nerves and words, you wanted to ask Ruby to the prom and you aren't sure if she will say yes or no, how to ask her with messing up the whole thing, I got the gist, right?"

"Yes, I need your wisdom here. I'm desperate here."

"Fine, listen up. I don't want to say all this more than once or repeat myself, so I want to make this clear as your friend. I don't want to leave you to the tender, mercies of Neptune or Sun. Sun might get Blake to the prom, but I doubt Neptune will be going with anyone because of a lack of dance skills. Look, Ruby is a sweet girl makes sense that you like her, and you should've realized months ago that you had feelings for her."

"What do you mean months ago?" Jaune borderline yells, shocked that Ren would say such a thing. He just became aware of his feelings. How the hell did Ren know before him how he felt.

"Don't make me stop, or I will leave you with no advice, and you are on your own." Jaune seemed to shut up quickly.

"Look with the number of things That we've been involved in and the fact that when Ruby calls? We are armed and ready to help; friends are always there for each other's sure but your fast your desire to help her. you are willing to sacrifice sleep and safety for her and best friends or not, you are going above and beyond or her. The only person who's that fast and willing to help at the drop of a dime is Sun Wukong. So, I'm going, to be honest with you." turning to look at him, his face was stern serious, and a pinch annoyed. He was sick of talking; it was clear on his face, but these are words that need to be said.

"Ruby is a lot of things, but something I know she is but wouldn't admit to it is she likes grand gestures. Sometimes I hear conversations between her and Blake. And you can tell she loves and gets swept in the romance of things. So that song you wrote for her that you think you can get away with hiding might make her say yes. This isn't Weiss and some half-hearted gimmick song you wrote that day." With this, he gave a look as Jaune tried to deny it, and he looked like he would and stopped when he saw the glare from Ren, who had enough of his Jaune's anxious behavior and the doubt from the normally optimistic leader. The shock and shaking knees just weren't him.

"This is a song you've been working on for the last few months. None of us are deaf or blind. I know Nora has been smirking every time she saw you working on it. Don't be afraid I was terrified at first when Nora asked me, but I'm glad she did. Go for it before someone else makes a move. I know Yang is terrifying after winning the Vytal festival, but that's delaying the inevitable. Someone is going to ask her this time, and hopefully, it's you."

"If you need an ear, you can go for it but don't expect another lengthy conversation, not from me. I need to meditate and relax to prepare my mind. I got studying to do, and I got some subjects I'm weak at, and I refuse to do worse in my class then team cardinal." That, on top of everything, was something of a sore subject with the Team. The weeks that Jaune was getting blackmailed by Cardin and their grades rose ever since then, blackmailing stopped. Team Cardinals' grades are the lowest among our grades. Right now, our team grades as individuals are ok. Pyrrha doing a little better than most of us. But anyone with grades below Team cardinal them would be the laughingstock of the first-year beacon group. So, Ren's concerns weren't outrageous.

"On top of all I know, I'm going to tuxedo and corsage shopping sometime this week. Nora only just gave me the color of her dress. So, you better ask Ruby, and soon so you two can match. If I had to guess Ruby stayed behind, so take the opportunity now. Before Yang gets back and you can find out personally whether you have a glass jaw or not." With a slight push guitar in hand, Ren evicted him from the dorm room at least for the moment, both knowing the halls were empty pretty much everyone was getting ready in Vale.

I heard tinkering and knew Ruby had stayed behind. Not letting go of the courage I got while my blood is burning with it. I knock on her door loud enough for her to hear. Ruby opened the door; she was wearing a pair of goggles, her hands had slight oils on her fingers, a screwdriver behind her, and a wrench near her feet. In that moment, she had never looked more beautiful to him than at this moment.

"Jaune, what's up?" Noticing that he has a guitar in his hand, he was dressed In a really nice button-up shirt that most had never seen on him before.

"Do you want to talk to Weiss about prom or something? Because she's off at the library and…"

"Actually, I am here to talk to you?" he said an awkward but bright smile on his face. He took a deep breath and started to strum the song he wanted to sing to her was one he writes and had been dying to pay; he knew by heart, and he knew that if this was his best shot at this.

_Jaune started strumming his guitar, singing a moving rendition of an overly sweet and affectionate love song here full of cute lyrics, some funny, some nice._

"Oh, Jaune!" Ruby's eyes seemed to sparkle. Her smile was the biggest he had ever seen on her.

"I know I'm the biggest and blindest idiot. I'm not sure when but I realized I liked you, and I would like to go to the… that is, if you're not going with someone else." He was word vomiting catching himself, he takes a breath and says what he wants to say all along.

"What I'm trying to say is would you go to prom with me?"

"Yes, I'd love to." giving him a kiss on the cheek to the shock of them both. Not surprisingly, when she sped out of the room saying she's going to go to Vale to buy a dress before she was completely out of sight, rose petals left behind her.

For the next few days, it was pandemonium with Ruby's excitement and the joy both of them felt even though Yang had taken to trying to find Jaune to have a nice and long chat, which he had only be able to artfully avoid for a full day. Until he felt cornered at the training grounds on campus. And he was running when he felt her presence like a cold shiver up his spine. John knew at that moment he wasn't going to get away from her and started praying to any deity to save him from her wrath. his back against the walls looking for another path to run and he could see her eyes as red as any monster of a popular in nightmare Jaune had when he was a child.

"Jauney boy, you can't run from me!" he was huffing, and out of breath, he had been able to dodge Yang after finding out that he asked Ruby to go to the farewell ball. The fact as well as the confession Jaune has made to her. There were no secrets between them, and that was the worst of them.

"So, you honestly thought you were Going to do some grand speech of love and affection for my baby sister and ask her to the farewell ball, that'll be televised, mind you, without asking me for her permission as the eldest family member to her? Do you want a bruising, Jauney? I think you'd be a little smarter! Since we've been friends for a year now, don't you think?" Slamming a fist, inches from where Jaune's head was. The nervous sweat on Jaune's brow, he was drenched, and Yang could see the cogs working overtime to come up with an explanation.

"Well, Ruby, is big girl, I didn't think she needed permission from anyone to start dating? Much Less go to a ball?"

"If my father was here, you would have already gotten hurt. I, on the other hand, do you know you. Don't mean I won't tell him. Prepare for the worst when you go and meet him eventually; for now, I'm letting you off with a warning next time, don't make me chase you. And treat my baby sister right or else."

He slid to the ground of the training area he was in, softly muttering thankfulness for being left alive. Yang was softly chuckling, knowing that Jaune is just at the beginning of his troubles when's Uncle Qrow and dad found out about this. He'll be lucky if you get another night's sleep peacefully after those two find out about Ruby is dating. Giving him once the last glance, that boy is so dead.

The rest of the weak went about as smoothly with Jaune and Ruby dancing around each other, sharing small smiles and holding hands to the shock of and proud smiles of others. of their teammates. With Nora looking incredibly happy most of the week and Ren smirking, Pyrrha seemed shocked and a little angry. Weiss was shocked but otherwise appeared to accept the change. And Yang was slightly fuming but accepting it. Having gotten her own date in the form of one of the guys that she eliminated in Team Auburn. The night of the farewell ball with upon them, the cameras were rolling, and everyone was dressed and ready.

The party was well underway, with most couples already spinning and dancing to the live band. I think they called Crushed Strawberries. A popular band in vacuo that headmaster Ozpin somehow got to play the Farewell Ball.

They walked in, Ruby wearing a beautiful red dress with Jaune wearing a tux with red trim to match her dress. A corsage on her wrist red orchid and one pinned to his tuxedo.

"Would like this dance milady?" bowing to Ruby, who giggled but curtsy in return.

"Of course, you dork, just go easy. I have a hard time moving in these lady stilts, you know?"

"Always." Jaune had a smile that Ruby mirrored.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final note: I came up with this way before corona took it's a foothold in America. I was thinking of this since volume four and volume two, with the dance and giant ball held in Weiss's mansion in Atlas. Before anyone asks, I really couldn't think of a decent love song that wasn't desperate, hokey, or outright weird. I might've written one myself if I was feeling in the mood to write a song considering most songs are just poems anyway, so hopefully you find it fine substitute I thought it was. Remember to show your support and interest. Kudos favorite the fic show that you want to see me write more! More than once, when I don't say anything, they get no attention. So, Que sera sera.


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